Melania Trump's Parents Are Now US Citizens

Newser — Newser Editors

The US gained two new citizens of note on Thursday: Viktor and Amalija Knavs, parents of first lady Melania Trump. The couple are natives of Slovenia, where they raised Melania, but have been in the US for more than a decade, says their immigration lawyer, per CNBC.

Their path to citizenship "was no different than anybody else's," adds Michael Wildes. The couple reportedly live in the DC suburbs and are frequently seen out with their daughter and grandson, Barron.

The couple's exact path to citizenship isn't clear, but one likely possibility is that their daughter's citizenship helped them get green cards first, reports CNBC. As CNN notes, critics have pointed out that President Trump wants to end that type of family-based migration.